Swire Chairman Sees Potential
For Growth in China Market

In the race to crack the China market, Swire Pacific Ltd., a diversified Hong Kong conglomerate, has opted for the pace of a long-distance runner.

Swire operates Cathay Pacific Airways, one of Asia's top airlines. Since 1993, the company has had an aircraft-maintenance operation in the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen, training Chinese mechanics and hoping to be rewarded by China with mainland air routes. Swire's Coca-Cola distributorship in China is another franchise-building effort that has yet to yield big profit. Swire,...